HC Deb 24 May 1984 vol 60 cc470-1W
Mr. Mates

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the contracts, with the subject of assignment, awarded to management consultancy and accounting firms by his Department in 1983.

Mr. Brittan

The information is as follows:

Mr. Hurd

The chief constable of Thames Valley tells me that he cannot estimate the number of foreign nationals who may have camped outside RAF Greenham common. Relevant information about individual cases of prosecution and conviction, and about deportation, held by the chief constable and the Home Office respectively, could be collated only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Leigh

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the false names given by a number of Greenham common squatters when arrested, charged and brought to court for public order offences, if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Thames Valley on his efforts to establish the true identities and nationalities of such persons.

Mr. Hurd

The chief constable tells me that as far as practicable steps are taken to establish the true personal details of people arrested for offences committed at Greenham common, whether or not they have camped outside the base. In particular, his officers have asked the courts to remand in custody, and to require the fingerprinting of, some people who have given names that are patently false. A person cannot be forced to give correct information about his or her identity or nationality, and in a few cases this has hindered the enforcement process. But the provision of false information has not significantly prevented the prosecution and conviction of offenders, or the enforcement of penalties imposed upon them; for example, people whom the police believe may have given false names and who have been remanded on bail have generally appeared before the court at the time required.

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